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Ariza now meeting with Houston in Vegas

According to a source, reported on ESPN and also by the AP, Trevor Ariza is now meeting with the Houston Rockets in Las Vegas.

Once again, take this with a grain of salt. His agent David Lee is obviously trying to drive the price up, but at the same time, other teams are using the possibility of signing Ariza to both help themselves, and hurt LA. How so? For example, Portland is chasing Hedo, but by showing interest in Ariza, it says to Hedo "Either sign on our terms, or we find a cheaper replacement." The Cavs are chasing Ron Artest, and saying to him "Either take the MLE an compete or a championship, or we find a cheaper defensive stud, and leave you to carry the Houston Kings for a year."

Houston, I believe, is merely doing what it must. It's protecting itself against Artest leaving, and of course trying to keep the two stud defensive wing player mentality going. While their next season is shot, maybe in 2 years, with Ariza, Battier, Yao (if he comes back), and whoever they get for McGrady can make a come back.